[ ONGOING ] A DARK ROMANCE
❝Estelle, my darling," Mother cooed, looking down thoughtfully upon me.
"Yes, Mother?"
Her hand snaked down from my shoulder to my wrist, gripping it tightly as if she was my personal handcuffs.
I flinched as her thumb b...
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"If they say it's too much to ask for what you need, Just take it."
⊏ --------------- ⊐
I'D NEVER BEEN so quickly revolted.
Snapping out of my dazed state, I froze up underneath the man's touch. No, it would be unfair towards all the men to refer to him as such. William was nothing more than a boy.
His fingers trailed up my arm, stopping at the straps up the dress as he greedily tried to slip his hand underneath them. Rageful, I slapped his hand away, turning to front the thing in front of me.
"Have some respect," I spat bitterly, trying to keep the anger in my tone to a minimum. I watched for a reaction, any sort of response from him.
After staring blankly at me for a moment, a small frown breeched his face. "I respect your body greatly, Estelle."
Scoffing, I shoved past him, making my way towards the door.
I knew he was following, his footsteps heavy on the wooden floorboards as he shuffled closer. My heart rate sped up, and I couldn't distinguish between my anger and curiosity anymore. I slowed my steps by only a few milliseconds, but it was enough for William's hand to lock around my upper arm.
"Allow me to finish my thoughts," He voiced, though it was more of a command than a request.
Aggressively shaking his hand off my body, I took a step backward but paused nevertheless.
"10 seconds," I responded. "But nothing you say can change the way you disgust me"."
A soft smirk found its way upon his face. I wanted to watch him dissolve into flames.
"Perhaps I phrased it wrong, darling," Die. "Shannon-, apologies, my mother had something made for you; as a gift, I believe."
William spoke with such precise and delicate English, it was like he struggled to find the words to express what he meant. I felt like I could visually see the phrases processing in his head every time he went to talk.
Shaking his head slightly, he went to retrieve a wrapped box on the bedside table that I hadn't noticed before. It was a simple, plain white paper with a red bow on top. He handed the box to me, and all the while all I could think about was how strange this boy was.
Ripping the paper apart, I pried open the box. I was met eye to eye with a beautiful black satin dress. William took the recycle from my hands, allowing me to hold up the dress in full.
It was long, and dangerously low cut with its cowl square neckline and thin straps.
There was extra fabric at the top but flowed nicely into a form-hugging maxidress bottom. There was a small slit on the thigh; sexy but still somewhat respectful.
I was amazed at how perfectly Mrs. Strathen was able to find something exactly my style. I could practically see the scowl on Mother's face already.
"Wow," I squeaked, unsure of how to react. "Well, you certainly did phrase it terribly."
William pursed his lips, letting the light joke fly right past him.
"Do you like it? I chose it myself," He admitted, raising an eyebrow.
Like it would be an understatement. I almost forgot the distaste I had for this boy only a few minutes ago. "It's... honestly beautiful. Thank you, Will."
What looked to be an attempt to smile, William made a strange face before it returned to his usual blank expression. "I'd ask if you wanted to try it on, though I'm afraid I'd be too tempted to rip it off you."
And there it was. What a sincere way to ruin such a meaningful moment. Potentially meaningful.
"Fuck you," I spat bitterly. Dropping the piece of satin on the floor bitterly, I made my exit.
Monster, I thought as I hurried downstairs, making efforts to recognize the halls and doors I'd passed to return to the dining room.
My heart was beating with each rageful step I took. As the voices of small talk grew louder, I soon realized I was not even ready to step back into that room of tension.
So instead, I made towards the front door, my breathing growing needier for fresh air.
The dress that I so easily desired to wear became nothing but a representation of William's attempt to buy my affection.
The rich are all the same. They trade relationships for money and vice versa, and when the moment finally matters, when those relationships really count, there is nothing left but forged love. It would be wrong to think of myself as any different, how could I when I've accepted countless gifts as a sign of forgiveness.
I've always been so willing to take the silk and diamonds without a care in the world, building my collection until it's enough to pay someone's college tuition.
So why did it upset me so much when it was William attempting to do the same?
Men always want one thing from women.
Silence, sex, and loyalty.
But God forbid we expect the same.
Withering in disappointment, I slipped outside into the night air, knowing damn well the alarm system would give me away anyways. Perhaps they would understand my need for isolation at the moment, but that seemed far from likely.
Sitting on the front steps, I looked around at the perfectly polished lawn and clipped to precision bushes. Even the aspects of nature were so unnatural.
And it truly dawned upon me, just how artificial and unnecessary my life was. I'll remain as clipped and chipped at as the unoriginal lion statues beside me. Maybe Mother had realized the same long before I was born, leading to her silence.
It felt wrong to lose hope so easily, but as I sat on the front steps of the mansion that belonged to the boy I was raised to be married to, the weight of the situation was impossible to ignore.
